


Trade Mistakes

by 21CenturyNinja



Series: Red Light, Green Light [1]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Angst and Romance, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, Developing Relationship, Drama & Romance, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, GreenFlame - Freeform, Guilt, Headcanon, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Mistakes, One Shot, Redemption, Romance, greenfire - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24295234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/21CenturyNinja/pseuds/21CenturyNinja
Summary: Kai is falling for a certain green ninja. But a mistake he made in the past haunts him, threatening to tear the two of them apart. Will Lloyd forgive him when he admits that he screwed up? Will he be able to forgive himself? Redeeming that one scene in Episode 84. Contains strong language. Greenflame/Greenfire.
Relationships: Lloyd Garmadon & Kai, Lloyd Garmadon/Kai
Series: Red Light, Green Light [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753918
Comments: 11
Kudos: 76





	Trade Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for this chapter while daydreaming. It's taking a scene from Episode 84 that really screwed up this ship and turning into something that makes it stronger.
> 
> The entire time I wrote this, I listened to "Trade Mistakes" by Panic! At The Disco. It's a pretty good soundtrack for this story.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Good," Kai said, continuing to swing his katana as the green ninja met every blow with his own. "Your reflexes are getting faster already."

The blonde smirked. "I've had a good teacher."

"Actually, you've had the _best_ teacher," the red ninja corrected.

Lloyd huffed. "I'm glad you're not trying to teach me humility!"

"Yep, you'd never be on my level. Nobody's better at being humble than I am!"

The two continued sparring, swords clanging together as they scrambled around the clearing. During one of their recreational hikes, the two had discovered a small open spot at the edge of the woods. On one side, the trees stretched up toward the sky, their roots obscured by bright green foliage. On the other, the ground gave way to a steep cliff, beyond which the ninja could see for miles. It was a beautiful place, and the red and green ninja had returned to the place to train on several occasions.

Kai's katana came crashing down on top of Lloyd's, and the two held that position for a few moments.

"I'm surprised you're keeping up," the older commented. "I've been wielding a sword since I could walk."

Lloyd pushed back, refusing to allow his partner's sword any closer. "Pretty irresponsible of your parents," he teased. While the master of fire was distracted, Lloyd swung one of his legs underneath Kai, sweeping the brunet's feet out from underneath him and knocking him to the ground.

The startled red ninja looked up at his companion, smiling proudly. "Well done."

The master of energy dropped his sword next to Kai's and held out his hand. "Again," he said, pulling Kai to his feet as the fire wielder accepted, "I have a good teacher."

The two stood still for a moment, hands still intertwined, saying nothing. After holding their silence for about twenty seconds, Lloyd spoke up.

"I thought I lost you," he stated quietly. "When Colossus destroyed the Bounty. I thought I'd never see you again."

Kai pulled him into a hug, ruffling his blond hair. "Now you know how I felt when you were possessed by Morro," he teased. His voice grew soft, nearly cracking as he continued. "I can't ever lose you, Lloyd."

The green ninja pulled Kai's hand out of his messy hair. "You never will."

Kai was silent for a moment, his eyes filling with sorrow. "You can't promise that."

Lloyd held Kai's hands in his. "Kai," he said, forcing the brunet to meet his wide green eyes. "I will do everything in my power to make sure of it."

The two ninja stared into each other's eyes. After a long pause, Lloyd slowly started to lean up toward the master of fire. Kai began to do the same, but in a split second, he pulled away.

"Lloyd, there's something I have to tell you," he said, brown eyes drifting to the dirt.

The blonde blinked. "What is it, Kai?" He asked, confused and slightly embarrassed.

Kai took a deep breath. "When you lost your powers, after fighting your father," he began, "and you were clinging to life, do you...do you remember anything from when you weren't fully conscious? Like, could you hear anything?"

Lloyd thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I couldn't," he replied. "The last thing I remember was the picture of me and my dad flying out of my hand. Then I was out. The next thing I knew, I woke up with Nya standing next to me. I did have a vision of my father, but...that's it." He looked up at Kai. "Why do you ask?"

"Because," Kai said, unable to meet Lloyd's green eyes. "Because Mystake told us the only way to save you would be to send you our powers in conjunction with her tea. But she warned us that it might use up all of them."

The green ninja tilted his head. "But it didn't, right? You still have them?"

"Well, yeah, but…" Kai trailed off. "But I _hesitated_ , Lloyd."

"What do you mean?"

Kai sighed and turned away. "When Mystake told us that saving you might cost us our powers, nobody else batted an eye. They were willing to give up their powers for you—no questions asked. They didn't even have to think about it. But I…" Tears began to form in the brunet's eyes, "I did."

Lloyd grabbed his hand, attempting to turn him around to face him, but the red ninja wouldn't budge. "Kai," he breathed. "Kai, that was a lot to ask. And you needed your powers to protect Ninjago from my father. I would never ask you to give up your powers for me."

"Because you'd never have to," Kai retorted, his gaze still trained on the floor. "It was never a question, Lloyd, and it never will be! You will always come before my fucking fire. Always." He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head. "And I hate myself for forgetting that."

The smaller blonde wrapped his arms around Kai's waist. He felt the master of fire flinch with guilt, but refused to let go. "Kai, please," he pleaded. "Don't hate yourself. You just wanted to protect people."

"But I should've been protecting _you_!" Kai pulled away from his grasp with such force that even the former Ultimate Spinjitzu Master couldn't hold on. The red ninja's flushed face was starting to become wet with tears. "I was gonna let you die, Lloyd! All so I could keep my stupid fucking powers! I should have been the first one to volunteer, not the only one the others had to convince. I was only looking out for myself."

Lloyd's eyebrows pulled together in a concerned expression. "Hey, you were under a lot of stress. You were just doing what you thought was right. Even if you think that was a slip in judgement, you can't expect yourself to think clearly under that amount of pressure." He racked his brain for something to ease his friend's guilt. "Remember right before that? I lied to all five of you and locked you in a room so I could face my father alone. That was selfish and stupid of me. It was my fault I almost died in the first place, and you had every right to be upset with me for that."

"But I wasn't!" Kai exclaimed, his voice wavering. "I wasn't upset with you for fighting your father. I was upset with you for loving Harumi."

The green ninja blinked in surprise. He fixed his gaze on his companion's tear-streaked face as he replied, keeping his voice as calm as he possibly could. "I never loved Harumi," he admitted. "I had a crush on her, yes. But it wasn't love. I was fooling myself into thinking that it was, just as she did." He scoffed. "I wouldn't know what love was if it hit me in the face."

"I would," Kai muttered under his breath, too quiet for Lloyd to make out.

"What's that?"

"Nothing." The brunet shook his head. "You should go, Lloyd. You deserve better than to be wasting your time with someone like me."

"What do you mean, 'someone like you?' Kai, you're my best friend! I can't possibly waste time by spending it with y—"

Kai cut him off. " _Best friends don't let best friends die!_ "

The blonde bit his lower lip nervously. "You're right. But you _didn't_."

"I was going to."

"You never would."

"I failed to protect you from Morro, and I failed to protect you again."

"This again?" Lloyd questioned, frustrated. "You risked your fucking _life_ to save me in the tomb! You faced your biggest fear! And you risked your power to save me, too. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead."

The master of fire spoke without thinking. "I'd never let that happen!" He didn't realize the contradiction in his words until they had already escaped his lips.

"I know you wouldn't."

Lloyd took a deep breath and reached for Kai's hand once again. "Kai…"

The instant he felt the green ninja's touch, Kai lost all control over himself. This time, he did not hesitate. He whipped around to face Lloyd, using their entwined hands to pull the blonde closer. His free hand cupped Lloyd's face as their lips met, a pleasant surprise to the smaller boy. After a few seconds of being frozen to the spot, Lloyd let go of Kai's hand and wrapped his arms around Kai's neck, the red ninja's now free hand finding its way to Lloyd's waist.

The kiss grew more intense. Everything Lloyd had thought he felt for Harumi returned, only this time his affection was directed toward a certain ninja in red. Memories of his former crush faded from his mind; flashbacks of his relationship with Kai took their place. From the day the master of fire saved him in the volcano, to when he held him as they climbed the stairs atop the Garmatron to face the Overlord, to Kai jumping in the river to save him from drowning...Lloyd realized he was wrong. He did know what love was. This was love.

The two pulled away, brown eyes locked on green, neither wanting to ever look away. Kai still held his hand up to Lloyd's cheek, gazing at the former Golden Ninja with a loving expression, his guilt slowly fading away as he realized they were going to be alright. Yes, he had screwed up. But Lloyd didn't care. They were going to be fine.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, not knowing what else to say as the green ninja's adoring smile chased the self-hatred from his mind.

Lloyd let out a small laugh. "Shut up."

He pulled Kai back down towards him, kissing him even harder than before. He held the fire ninja as tightly as he could, and Kai did the same, pulling Lloyd's body towards his own in such a way that nothing could ever separate them. The green ninja nibbled at Kai's lower lip playfully before opening his mouth slightly to let Kai's tongue graze his own. The master of fire allowed his guilt-stricken thoughts to be replaced with the realization of just how much he loved Lloyd, and he showed the smaller boy by the way he kissed him. He ran one hand through the soft blond hair while the other kept a firm grip on his partner's waist, turning his face to eliminate the possibility that even a sliver of distance could make its way between them. He kissed Lloyd like he had never kissed anyone before.

Lloyd had waited his entire life for someone to make him feel the way that Kai did, and he was actually glad that the former Jade Princess wasn't that person. All he wanted was Kai; all he ever wanted was Kai.

And now he had him.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope I managed to redeem that scene for all you Greenflame fans. It really broke my heart to see Kai so hesitant to help Lloyd. I'm glad he did in the end.
> 
> This will be part of a series of Greenflame one-shots. Feel free to comment any ideas you have for this ship, and I might turn them into a story!


End file.
